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polygenic
This term is used almost exclusively within the fields of genetics, biology, and medicine. It describes traits that do not follow simple Mendelian inheritance patterns, where a single gene determines a characteristic, but instead result from the additive effect of many genes. This makes the resulting phenotypes typically continuous, such as a bell curve of heights or skin tones in a population.
In a clinical or research context, "polygenic" is often contrasted with "monogenic," which refers to disorders caused by a mutation in a single gene. Understanding this distinction is crucial for genomic medicine, as polygenic traits are more complex to predict and treat than those governed by a single genetic locus.
Meanings
Examples
Human height is a classic example of a polygenic trait.
The researchers are studying the polygenic nature of type 2 diabetes.
Many complex diseases have a polygenic basis involving hundreds of loci.
I wonder if my predisposition to anxiety is polygenic.
The study focuses on polygenic risk scores to predict heart disease.
Skin color is determined by several different genes, making it a polygenic characteristic.
Skin color is determined by several different genes, making it a polygenic characteristic.
We need to account for the polygenic inheritance patterns in this population.
We need to account for the polygenic inheritance patterns in this population.